• Recap
• Bleachers

Leinart sharp, Cardinals fall to Broncos

Aug 30, 2008 - 5:54 AM GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- Matt Leinart is making Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt's decision on a starting quarterback very difficult.

The product of Southern California was impressive in leading the Cardinals on a pair of touchdown drives, but the Denver Broncos emerged with a 28-14 victory in the preseason finale for both teams on Friday.

After Kurt Warner started and completed 4-of-4 passes for 48 yards, Leinart was 10-of-14 for 177 yards and engineered two scoring drives in the second quarter. The first, a seven-play, 90-yard march, was capped with a 17-yard touchdown strike from Leinart to tight end Leonard Pope.

After turning over the ball with a fumble during his second possession, the 10th overall pick in 2006 guided the Cardinals to an eight-play, 64-yard drive that was capped by J.J. Arrington's 26-yard TD run that opened a 14-10 lead for Arizona, which visits San Francisco for its season opener on September 7.

The Broncos, who open the season at Oakland on September 8, went ahead midway through the fourth quarter on an 87-yard touchdown strike from Darrell Hackney to Keary Colbert.

Hackney played the entire game for the Broncos, completing 17-of-26 passes for 208 yards and a score.

Rookie running back Anthony Alridge was a workhorse for Denver, carrying the ball 23 times for 110 yards. Michael Pittman had six carries for just eight yards but had a one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

Jack Williams finished off the scoring by returning an interception 87 yards for a score for the Broncos, who did not play any starters on offense or defense.